In the high-stakes world of global mining, safety has traditionally been managed through top-down mandates and rigorous compliance checklists. But at De Beers, a fundamental shift in philosophy is yielding historic results.
The company recently announced a Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) of 1.0 for 2025—the lowest safety incident rate in its 135-year history. This milestone isn’t just a statistical win; it represents the successful evolution of a corporate culture where safety is no longer a corporate directive, but a personal value held by every individual on-site.
“At De Beers, we have leaned into the experience, care, and institutional knowledge of our teams by listening, learning, and partnering rather than simply instructing,”
From “Instructing” to “Partnering”
The record-breaking performance across operations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Canada is the result of a deliberate strategy to decentralize responsibility. According to Tefo Molosiwa, this required a transformation in how leadership interacts with the workforce.
“At De Beers, we have leaned into the experience, care, and institutional knowledge of our teams by listening, learning, and partnering rather than simply instructing,” Molosiwa explains. “This approach has strengthened leadership and accountability in health and safety at every level of the organization. When an employee feels like a partner in safety rather than a subject of it, the level of vigilance naturally rises.”
Empowering the Frontline: The Power of Local Wisdom
A cornerstone of this strategy is the recognition that the best safety insights often come from those closest to the machinery. De Beers’ workforce—including truck drivers, electricians, maintenance crews, and pit operators—is largely recruited from the communities surrounding the mines.
These employees often have multi-generational connections to the operations. This “deep local knowledge” is now being treated as a premium asset. By encouraging frontline workers to speak up and share observations, De Beers has turned the traditional hierarchy on its head.
“Our people know these sites better than anyone,” says Molosiwa. “By actively involving frontline teams in risk assessment and process design, we ensure that our safety protocols are grounded in practical, real-world experience rather than theoretical models.”
Creating a “Safety Without Fear” Environment
A culture of ownership is only possible when there is a foundation of trust. De Beers has worked to create an environment where identifying a risk or reporting a “near-miss” is celebrated as a proactive contribution to the team’s well-being.
“Safety is not a destination,”
By breaking down the barriers between contractors, employees, and leadership, the company has fostered a “one-team” mentality. This collaboration ensures that safety practices are agile, evolving in real-time alongside shifting operational demands and changing geological conditions.
The Journey to Zero Harm
Despite the historic achievement of a 1.0 TRIFR, the mood at De Beers is one of focused determination rather than complacency. In mining, the margin for error is non-existent, and the company views this record as a foundation for further improvement, not a finish line.
“Safety is not a destination,” Molosiwa emphasizes. “It is a continuous journey that requires constant attention, learning, and improvement. Our focus remains on building a culture where everyone takes responsibility for looking out for themselves and for each other.”
As De Beers looks toward the future, the message is clear: the strongest safety equipment a miner can have is not a helmet or a harness—it is the mindset of ownership and the knowledge that they are empowered to protect their colleagues.
